Robert. L. Peurifoy (1902-1995), after serving as principal specialist in engineering education for the U.S. Office of Education during World War II, began teaching construction engineering at Texas A&M University in 1946. In the years that followed, Peurifoy led the transformation of the study of construction engineering into an academic discipline. In 1984 the Peurifoy Construction Research Award was instituted by the American Society of Civil Engineers upon recommendation of the Construction Research Council